


Small, Steady Steps

by CobraOnTheCob



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Catharsis, F/M, Modern AU, tw/cw: references to past child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:07:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27591802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob
Summary: Zuko faces his father in prison.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 36





	Small, Steady Steps

**Author's Note:**

> In case you missed the tags: there are references to child abuse in this fic. Nothing explicit, but there are references pointing to it.
> 
> Anyways I just wanted to write a "Zuko confronts his father" modern AU fic for some reason at 12 AM so if there's mistakes...my bad.
> 
> Also I don't know what prison procedure actually looks like, I wasn't about to try and read laws at 12 AM.
> 
> Once again, tw/cw for past child abuse. Last warning, do not come into my comment section if you missed the tags and the author's note. It's Ao3, read them.

“Zuko? What’s with the - “ Katara was interrupted as Zuko brushed by her.

“I need to do this, Kat,” he said, his back to her.

“Need to do what?” Katara asked, and then he heard her gasp, “It’s today, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Zuko said softly and turned to her, “Can...can you drive me?”

“I will. Anything for you, Zuko.” Katara said, her eyes full of comfort and support, and Zuko hugged her. She gently kissed his cheek.

“Thank you, Kat,” he murmurs as he pulls back.

“I’ll drive you, but only if you tell me why you’re wearing your least favorite shirt,” Katara said, eyeing the high school shirt he was wearing.

“If anything bad happens,” Zuko said, “I can get rid of anything I’m wearing right now.”

“Oh.”

“Come on. The prison’s not going to wait all night.”

* * *

The drive is too quiet.

Zuko put on some slow classical music, but he can’t help but tap his thigh nervously.

Today is the day, and he needs to face his father.

This demon of a man has been throwing him out of sleep for _years_ , and he finally has been sentenced to life in prison for several crimes Zuko didn’t care to remember.

“Hey,” Katara says quietly, breaking the awkward silence, “You probably don’t want to hear this, but...we’re all here for you, Zuko. Sokka, Suki, Aang, Toph, and I are all here for you.”

“I know,” Zuko says, and reflexively touches his burn scar. Moments later, the car pulls into the parking lot.

“Ready?” she asks as he steps out of the car. Her hand comes up and gently touches his scar. Years of her doing this relaxes him and grounds him - it’s the only thing that his father can’t taint even if things go south tonight.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

* * *

Waiting almost killed him.

And then Ozai was brought in. 

Zuko watched as Ozai sat down in the booth and picked up the phone. Zuko did the same.

“You know why I’m here,” Zuko said, looking Ozai in the eyes, “So I’m making this short - you are nothing to me. You have no power over me, you can’t do anything from here - “ Ozai lunges and Zuko flinches.

“You’re still afraid,” Ozai taunts. Zuko breathes slowly to calm himself down.

“You’ve hurt me, a vulnerable thirteen year old. It’s only my body’s response.” Zuko said, adopting Katara’s clinical tone.

“Don’t tell me you’re dating a _med student_ ,” Ozai sneers, “They’ll dump you when they have to choose between school and you.”

“If that is my partner’s choice,” Zuko said, “Then that is their choice. But I didn’t come here to tell you who I’m dating. I’m here because I’m at a better place now where I can finally be free of you. Good-bye, Ozai.” With a _click_ , Zuko places the phone back in its place, stands up, and walks away.

His facade of being calm breaks as soon as he gets into the car, and Katara doesn’t hesitate to lock the doors and lean over the console to pull him into a hug. He sobs into her shoulder, and holds on tightly. 

“Tissues?” Katara asked, holding up the box for him. Zuko nodded and took them.

“I don’t know how to feel now,” Zuko said, “I just feel...empty. Apathetic, maybe?”

“It feels like that once your demon is gone,” Katara said, and Zuko nods, knowing exactly who she’s talking about, “I felt the same when I left Yon Rha alive. Let’s go home now, sleep on this.” With that, she settles into the driver’s seat and turns on the engine. Zuko can’t decide what playlist he wants as Katara pulls out of the parking lot, so he chooses some soundtrack from a movie and sits back, eyes on the road in front of him.

It’s only when he throws his clothes in the hamper, takes a hot shower, and gets in bed does he realize how much he needed to do this.

It felt freeing, like a weight was taken off his shoulders, just like his least favorite shirt being taken off his body and thrown into the hamper. His skin feels cleaner and fresher, having nearly boiled himself like a lobster to rid his skin of the feeling that Ozai has left _something_ on him. 

Ozai had no control over him anymore. 

He had Sokka, Suki, Aang, Toph, and Katara, and their families to fall back on. 

Tomorrow he can go through more emotional turmoil, but for tonight, Zuko can celebrate the small victory of being able to look Ozai in the eye and finally putting the demon down for good.

**Author's Note:**

> If I screwed up in the portrayal of an abuse survivor getting catharsis, I am very sorry, and you are more than welcome to tell me in the comments.


End file.
